Did the Cuomo administration abuse its power by negotiating to get a luxury box for bailing out the Bills?

The Cuomo administration recently negotiated a $130 million deal to renovate the Buffalo Bills’ stadium and keep the team in western New York for at least seven years. As part of the package funded primarily by taxpayers, the administration negotiated a 12-seat luxury box described as a tourism “hospitality center.” The Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions is reviewing the deal. Committee Chairman James Brennan toldThe New York Times “I think there’s an issue about the appropriateness of state officials getting free tickets to sporting events.”

Was the decision to get a luxury box out of the deal wrong?

Yes. The box is a taxpayer-funded perk politicians have no right to have.

No. Officials will use the suite to promote tourism and economic development.

4 Responses

At almost $18.6 million dollars a year, it would have been cheaper to rent a box when it was needed. What an absurd waste of money. Tourism? Everyone who comes to Western New York, goes to the Canadian side other than an hour or two on the US side. They would have been better off lowering taxes and reducing regulations. The only economic development is that of the politicians and their friends.

Which tourists are going to want to venture up to Buffalo in the middle of winter to attend a football game that the Bills would probably lose? Who is the Governor or the Mayor of Buffalo, or local legislators going to invite that will benefit tourism or economic development?

I would suggest that they sell the tickets to the highest bidder and the proceeds go back into the state budget.